


First Come, First Serve

by estaels



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Humour, M/M, Romance, Twoshot, enemies>friends>lovers, or my attempt at humour at least, supermarket au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-10-09
Packaged: 2018-12-08 15:23:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11649357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/estaels/pseuds/estaels
Summary: A potent animosity born of brief scuffles at the supermarket unexpectedly blooms into unparalleled fondness.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My first fe/leokumi work but definitely not the last! I have plenty of ideas in store for these two because I've suddenly fallen deep for this pair (oops?).

Since leaving their father, Leo and his siblings led a simple life. A life which many others would have sought more of, but for the family, it was beyond welcome; for once, they'd be able to experience the nuances, the nooks and crannies that a crippling fear of their father had seized from them.

For once, things appeared to be at peace.

Leo was indulging in his respite amongst a pile of books, surrounded by a splendid fortress of knowledge, potential, imagination. He turned the page, calmed by the scent of ink and paper and awing at words as if they were shooting stars. There was little that could cleave the peace he found here, in the creases of his mattress.

Or so he mistakenly believed, luring himself into a false sense of security. A simple life carried simple, menial tasks. And even Leo, ever the prodigy, and chessmaster -- he wasn't able to deter one simple yet universally shunned responsibility.

Chores.

In particular, anything time-consuming, or worse, anything that required venturing  _ outside _ . Gods, no, he already had to endure that five days a week at the very least. Hence, he appeared very stricken at the sight of Xander, his eldest, offering a grocery list and a credit card on a Friday evening.

“Do not forget that everyone possesses their own duty within this household, Leo. I expect that you will adhere to yours.”

Leo's book toppled into his lap, his hands accepting the offered items in utter disdain. He couldn't justify abandoning his rather gripping read of the ancient philosopher, Descartes, for  _ grocery shopping _ . Of course, there was little choice involved in that matter; his older brother's words were to be followed with diligence. A display of respect, to the one who dragged their family away from their father to a better life.

Ultimately, Leo ended on the streets, with the youngest in tow. Her name -- Elise -- a girl of lesser years and maturity (from his perspective at least). One look at her brother leaving the house and she'd insisted on tagging along. Partly to rattle his nerves, but beneath the surface she just wanted an excuse to enjoy his company. Leo couldn't refuse her stubbornness, knowing very well that he'd be faced with a troublesome strop to deal with later on. So for now, he decided to relent, taking her with him.

Never before had he regretted a decision with such intensity.

“Brother, brother look -- these fairy cakes are just the prettiest, aren't they?” Leo scowled at the multipack of cupcakes coated in obnoxious pink icing. Of course, they'd be suited to Elise’s taste. The currently everpresent furrow in his brow only grew more intense as the girl wordlessly tossed them into the trolley.

He massaged his temples, exhaled, then objected, “Elise, that is about the tenth unhealthy item you have brought to me.” Leo was not stretching the truth; their trolley was already half full with confectionary and junk.

“Aw c’mon! I didn't take _that_ _many_ sweets... _oh_.” She paused at the realisation that remarkably, her brother's point was valid.

“Indeed. Now, for the love of all things holy,  _ put those dastardly cupcakes back _ .”

“Fine. No need to get all huffy, you big party pooper.” Her cheeks swelled into an exaggerated pout, much like a pufferfish.

While Leo harboured a great fondness for his sister, there were times where her actions eroded his temper. Although that was to be expected of a younger sibling, so little complaint could be vocalised; he just had to remain patient.

Progressing onward, few incidents befell the pair until the approaching of a certain section. Shelves lined with fruit and vegetables splashed in colours ranging from bright red, to a deep viridian, a subtle grassy scent lingering as they neared. Yet none of that was what captured Leo's attention, but rather the alluring scarlet of one particular fruit -- tomatoes. Elise’s stomach filled with dread with the subtle poking out of his tongue to lick his lips, which then pursed together in restraint.

They’d already butchered Xander’s trust in gathering heaps of junk, and it was pretty certain that the elder had only requested  _ one _ packet of tomatoes, yet Leo seemed to be engulfing the entire stock.

Elise was preparing to call him out on his nonsense, when the voice of another seemed to do that for her.

“Do you run a ketchup business?” Came the inquiry of a stranger. His hair frayed in peculiar disarray at the peak of his ponytail. Leo looked up at him, and immediately concluded it was a unique -- yet not unwelcome -- sight to behold. But for some reason, the strange hairdo didn't clash with the boy’s appearance, and actually suited him somewhat.

He didn't look half bad. There was a dash of appealing colour in his eyes -- brown, amber.

Then the blonde recalled, cutting through his spontaneous admiration, the stranger’s question, rather condescending in tone, and scowled with a flush across porcelain cheeks. He made a stubborn upturn of his nose and finally responded, “No, I just happen to like tomatoes.” For good measure, he tossed a sixth packet into the shopping trolley with indifference. As if it were nothing that transcended the ordinary at all.

“Oh yeah? Well, could you move aside? I would like a couple.”

Leo didn't know what it was that overcame his sense of reason, aside from his wounded pride at being caught indulging one of his more peculiar, embarrassing addictions. So, instead of responding with something acceptable, he ventured the path of feigned arrogance, as if it would cushion his downfall. “I do believe you've heard of the rule,  _ first come, first serve _ , have you not? In that case, do not expect me to accommodate for your slowness. I will be purchasing this entire shelf.”

Absurd stubbornness ran thick in the veins of his family.

Elise couldn't bring her lips back together for the entire trip. Ironically, she was very quiet, gaping at the shopping trolley that was filled with  _ fucking tomatoes _ . To say the siblings received a few baffled looks would have been beyond an understatement of the century. No, that would have been an understatement of the  _ millennia.  _ Leo was certainly in for an earful from Xander upon learning that his credit card was probably wrung dry on baseless junk.

Not to mention, that his clash with the funny-haired stranger had considerably escalated into a heated shouting match, audible enough to pique the attention of the store manager. And not in a good way.

The pair had been ordered to pay for their items and  _ leave _ , no questions asked, no further words, just two boys and a young girl storming out of the supermarket and directing glares at one another. 

Leo was silent, wordless, much like Elise, who could only mouth a ‘wow’ in response.

 

-

 

Awaiting them at home was Corrin. Their middle sibling yet not tied by blood. When Leo was too young to recall, father had introduced him on a whim, without any other comment or explanation.

None of them anticipated his belonging to a second family. With the exception of their father.

“You're home! Let's see what you got,” said Corrin peeping through the crevices of each shopping bag as Leo and Elise set them down. He grew increasingly perplexed with the inspection of every bag. “Uh…” His words were stolen from him, understandably.

“Don't ask -- it's a long story,” grunted Leo with a rub of his temples. He was overcome by a familiar jadedness, engraved in a scowl that his siblings knew like the back of their hand. The sight pulled Corrin’s lips upward.

The boy’s smile stretched with amusement as Xander made an appearance, and proceeded with his precedented lecture.

Time did not work in their favour, as with each second, the irritation of Leo’s eldest only grew. Corrin’s pathetic attempts at stifling laughter were not helping either, just fuelling Xander’s disturbed nerves even further.

“ _ Corrin!  _ Gods  _ shut up. _ ” The middle sibling had to bite his lip with considerable force to exercise restraint. “Since you find Leo’s irresponsibility so absurd that it warrants amusement, you may supervise him next week.”

This time, it was Leo's turn to laugh.

A week passed too quickly for either sibling’s taste. The dreaded Friday evening neared again, where duty reigned over rest. Xander approached the pair as they were unwinding before the television, wordlessly transferring money and a shopping list into Leo’s hands.

“ _ One  _ packet of tomatoes this time, not  _ ten _ ,” he reminded, as the younger brothers reluctantly heaved onto two feet.

Rolling his eyes, Leo replied, “yes brother.”

He hoped that on this occasion, their excursion would be a little more tame now that someone older than Elise was there to deflect any absurdity that he couldn't. Corrin’s presence only worsened the situation.

By some cruel twist of fate, the boy from last week crossed his line of sight. Eye contact was made and a glare shared, while Corrin drew in a startled breath.

_ “Takumi?!” _

Who would have thought the imbecile before them happened to be from Corrin’s second family. Leo had little opportunity to process this information when he noted Takumi’s location; he was beside the tomatoes. It seemed the silver-haired boy had very clearly read his mind when their gazes met a second time, as he tossed in packet, after packet, after packet…

“Hey, y-you can't do that!” Leo heaved, pleading. Instead of sympathy, he received a smirk as Takumi responded.

“Oh? Why not? I believe it was you who said,  _ first come, first serve _ .” Fury writhed inside of him like an untamed beast. Leo contained it with gritted teeth. It became increasingly difficult however, as the shelves began to empty and Takumi’s shopping cart fill.

Luckily, before anything could escalate, Corrin stationed himself between the two. “Calm yourselves.” Satisfied at the blissful sound of silence that followed, he grinned. “Wonderful.”

Leo concluded that this was the most awful outing he'd ever experienced. His brother, being the inconsiderate fool he was, insisted that they shopped  _ with  _ Takumi. Only Corrin gained satisfaction from such a godawful decision. A sour atmosphere lingered for the remainder of their trip - not that there wasn't one present already, uninvited and distressing.

For a while settled a disconcerting silence, as the misshapen trio proceeded with surprisingly scarce interactions between them. Corrin appeared remarkably pensive throughout, uttering few words. Leo was almost relieved, until the older sibling deemed it wise to open his mouth again. Shooting across his eyes, was an enthralled spark, one that only appeared with an idea. The blonde gulped at the sight, because more often than not, Corrin did not have good ideas.

Inviting his other siblings over for dinner was ranked among the worst of them.

“I'll give Ryoma a call tonight, and let Xander know too -- it'll be fun!” Nonsense.

Unanimously, an expression of disturbance passed between Takumi and Leo - the first instance where they'd been similar in their views.

Corrin was granted the silent treatment on the journey home. For about two minutes.

“Oh  _ come on _ Leo, it can't be that bad, can it?” The older boy sniggered at the emergence of a scowl in response. “Do you really hate my brother that much?”

“He's an insufferable prick,” answered the blonde with a pointed huff. A bark of laughter followed.

With amusement plaguing his tone, Corrin remarked, “at least we managed to get some proper groceries this time.”

Leo grumbled something about there being a ‘disgraceful lack of tomatoes’ before storming ahead.

 

-

 

Regrettably, Xander was not adverse to the prospect of a joint dinner, welcoming the opportunity to connect with more of Corrin's relatives. The following Saturday was agreed as an acceptable date for the event. 

Corrin maintained a vexatious jubilance the entire week, despite the fact that he and his brother were to go on shopping duty on yet another occasion. Thankfully, they did not encounter Takumi the next Friday; Leo was glad that his happiness could at least be somewhat salvaged. And besides, the following evening was something to be more concerned about. The prospect of that  _ ghastly tomato thief  _ setting foot on his turf seemed nauseating at best.

Their doorbell rang sooner than anticipated the following day. Leo had expected a random delivery at this time, not for some of Corrin’s siblings to have arrived early. He'd barely had a chance to wake (although he had a rather generous lie-in, and it was past three already), still endowed in the plaid shirt and trousers he called pyjamas. A curl of his head around the kitchen doorframe revealed the form of Takumi and a younger girl, who appeared to be of similar age to Elise, if not slightly older. Whilst they were occupied by the antics of Corrin, Leo attempted to make a stealthy beeline for his bedroom to fix his clothing and bed hair. He failed. Miserably.

“Hey Leo -- it’s rude to not greet your guests!” The silver-haired boy called from below. There was enough evidence in Corrin’s shit-eating grin to demonstrate that he was clearly taking the piss.

“H-hello,” stammered Leo, before he sauntered upstairs, feeling sorry for himself.

He returned moments later, appropriately clothed with hair brushed, somewhat. Corrin called him to the kitchen as he arrived downstairs. A reasonable request at first, until he noted the presence of a person he'd rather avoid.

“What are  _ you _ doing here?” Leo spoke with venom and a narrowed gaze, fists furling into cocoons. He didn't know what about this boy made his blood boil with such extremity, that his heart picked up in pace -- usually it was an effortless task to brush off someone he deemed a nuisance.

‘ _ Maybe you're just disappointed that someone with such pleasant features has the capacity to be a pest,’  _ Leo mused to himself, then inwardly winced.  _ ‘You shouldn't have slept in today,’ _ he reprimanded himself, shifting the blame for his thoughts onto sluggishness.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Takumi revoked, thankfully interjecting his rather concerning strain of notions.

“I  _ live  _ here.”

“Ugh.”

Leo revelled in the defeated glower he received.

“Now, now, I didn’t call the two of you here to have a lover's spat.”

Corrin was rewarded by a symphony of undignified sputters.

 

-

 

“No.” 

“Oh come on brother, why not? If you just gave it a small chance, I think the two of you could get along well!”

Leo’s frown became even more ingrained upon his expression. “I cannot bear beyond five minutes of his presence.”

“It won't just be you two - I'll be around to ensure our kitchen remains in tact.”

“ _ Even worse _ .”

Corrin, rather deviously, placed his hands on his hips.

“I'm asking you as your elder brother, Leo.”

“Oh, don't you dare play the elder card.” The pale-haired boy merely waggled his eyebrows. “I hate you.”

“Aw, I love you too.”

The blonde sighed.

 

-

 

Realistically, the three of them collaborating on a meal would have resulted in culinary disaster. It should have. And a mutilated kitchen to boot. Leo had anticipated disaster. No such event occurred, remarkably. When Corrin had pulled a rather agreeable-looking roast chicken from the oven, his expression contorted into one of pleasant shock. 

He was loathe to admit it, but spending time with Takumi had worked to remarkably reduce the animosity between them. They had ascended to a level of tolerance still shy of friendship, Leo decided, because there was plenty about the boy that still sent him reeling, and had his veins pulsing through his skin.

At least they could keep from each other's throats. Corrin's bizarre notions had achieved something at least.

In a matter of minutes, Takumi’s older siblings -- Ryoma and Hinoka -- had arrived for the evening. Their youngest, Sakura, had taken quite a liking to Elise. The sentiment seemed mutual, as Leo saw his sister engaging with her in great fervour. It was an uplifting sight.

Corrin was quick to serve dinner, with both families seated comfortably at the table. Somewhere along the line, Leo had stricken an unforeseeable camaraderie between himself and Takumi, beginning with an enthused conversation about literature. He'd discovered that their tastes in reading, hobbies and food were eerily similar. It was evident when Corrin flashed a grin at him from across the table, that  _ he knew _ it would end this way.

“This ‘shoogi’ game you speak of -- what's it like?” Asked Leo, before shoving a brussel sprout into his mouth.

Takumi snorted crudely at his pronunciation. “It's shōgi. And to describe it, well…it shares considerable similarities to chess.”

“Intriguing. That happens to be a favourite of mine.”

It was peculiar how alike they were.

A silent agreement was made between them to end the evening on a truce.

 

-

 

Fate twisted to have them encounter again the following week, and the week after, and two weeks after that. Well, to call it fate over coincidence seemed an exaggeration upon more careful consideration. But the idea that Leo and Takumi even mirrored one another's shopping habits was astounding to say the least. 

With time, grew comfort, as the animosity between them crumbled like a weary ruin. What remained was a pleasant friendship, a surprising yet invaluable development indeed.

The pair had achieved a level of familiarity where they could playfully snatch items from the shelf and keep it from the other. Leo was always victorious in such scuffles, he liked to think. His slight advantage in height over his silver-haired companion made him very effective in holding Takumi’s favourite cereal just out of reach. The sight of his newfound friend staggering on his toes, with hands outstretched, and puffed cheeks -- it sent warm chills along Leo's spine. It was a foreign feeling.

“Gods Leo -- give that --” Takumi jumped. “Here!”

“It's  _ first come, first serve _ ,” replied Leo, voice strained and broken by rasps as he stretched further upwards. Takumi’s scowl sealed itself further, before relenting into a conniving smirk. He backed on two feet, lightly inching away.

“Well, two can play that game,” he remarked rather schemingly. A matter of seconds found him bounding away with his trolley to --

Oh  _ no. _

“You wouldn't  _ dare _ !,” Leo snarled, attempting to tail behind him.

Yet he couldn't rid his expression of a grin.

 

-

 

The familiar ignition of a phone screen grabbed his attention with remarkable speed. Leo tended to it in suspicious vigour, catching the calculating gaze of his older sister, Camilla. Locks of purple fell through her fingertips like silk as she toyed with them. It was a puzzling feat, mainly because Leo had tossed his reading aside in an instant to tend to his phone. A rare occurrence -- he was typically too engrossed to address something trivial as a text message. 

She wouldn't have thought much more of it, but a sight followed that would forever ingrain itself into her memory.

There was a first for everything. And today was the first time she'd witness such a radiant expression that no amount of doting would ever hope to extract from her brother.

“So, who's the lucky person?” She teased, fixing her gaze at him curiously.

Leo didn’t peer up to acknowledge her when he responded, “just an acquaintance of mine.”

Despite Camilla’s teasing, her younger brother’s smile never faltered. It was difficult to avoid a quirk of her own lips at the sight.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cries I'm so sorry for uploading this so late...I actually had this chapter finished for weeks but new school terms etc. completely messed me up. Anyway, I hope to get into a routine of uploading weekly again from now -- let's hope I stick to it! Fingers crossed!!!

The light winter sunlight latched onto flecks of dust in the room, a handful settling against Takumi's reading glasses, which he had to rub away with his shirt and a huff. He was rather contentedly engrossed in a book of historical philosophy lent to him by Leo -- an excellent read. It took considerable self control to refrain from indulging himself in an hour-long phone call with his friend on the subject, when they were to meet only hours later. Burying the relentless onset of emotion that overcame him at each encounter was no simple feat. There was no denying that sensation, no matter how much he loathed or craved it. 

Their friendship had grown over months, to the extent that their meetings exceeded that of the supermarket. Nonetheless, that was where Takumi was to find Leo this evening, piling frozen margaritas into his trolley at the refrigerator aisle. The sight,   candid and simple, summoned a strange heat, stretching from his cheeks to stiff fingertips. Takumi gulped. At the upturn of lips Leo made to greet him. At the glimmer in his eyes reserved only for when they shared in one another’s company. 

“Evening,” said the blonde from his rather graceless squatting position, browsing the lower shelves for more frozen meals. 

“Good evening to you as well,” came a reply. “That's an alarming quantity of frozen pizzas.”

“My brother will be absent for the week. Xander doesn't believe that any of us should be trusted with the kitchen, which has lead me here, purchasing easy meals.” 

“I can't say I'm surprised.” Takumi grinned. Leo had told him of a recent cooking incident where he, Corrin and Elise deemed it sensible to make dinner for themselves in the absence of their older siblings. With both Camilla and Xander unavailable to avert chaos in their late working hours, their inability to control Elise’s abysmal culinary abilities was a recipe for disaster. And disaster was their reward, in the form of a fire, a rather hefty repair bill, and livid Xander. 

Camilla, ever the doting sibling, couldn't find it in herself to even show a grain of frustration.

Leo scowled at his allusion. Takumi sought glee in his reaction. Crafting comments for the purpose of vexing the other boy was an entertaining hobby indeed. 

“Let me guess -- your decision to purchase pizzas was due to the presence of a particular vegetable?” 

“How many times must I remind you that tomatoes are a  _ fruit _ ,” Leo sighed. “And no, that was not my reasoning at all.”

“It totally was.” 

“Oh, be quiet.” His friend crossed his arms with defiance, then let them sag at his sides again. A sign of defeat. “You know me too well,” he relented. 

Takumi gained joy in the fact that Leo couldn't be any closer to the truth.

“I could say the same regarding you.” 

They exchanged a soft expression. The warmth in Takumi’s cheeks only grew more intense.

-

He was incessantly troubled by this new development. Even the unadulterated sight of Leo would play, on his heartstrings, a foreign melody. The kind that sent chills crawling along Takumi’s spine. The kind that had him swelling with confidence, yet cowering in fear all at once. It could only be described as a thrilling feeling, like the rush of a jump scare. A short-lived sensation yet more impactful than a harsh strike to the cheek. 

Then the time came when the feeling had become too intense to ignore. Takumi and Leo were seated together, sheltered by a pile of bedding in his room, knee-to-knee, with a book stationed where their limbs met. 

It was hot. The grey-haired boy flapped his t-shirt to fan himself. A stream of air flowed between his lips with a discrete puff. It wasn't so hushed to not capture his friend’s attention, nor deter the raise in his brow. 

“You seem troubled,” Leo commented, an ounce of concern in his tone. 

“I’m not troubled -- i-it’s just strangely warm today.” For good measure, he rolled striped tracksuit bottoms above his knees, as if it would further or prove a point.

Leo appeared sceptical -- or muddled -- it was hard to tell. “You, uh, you could say that.” His gaze seemed to fall towards his left hand, which was preoccupied playing with cream carpet threads. “Should we continue reading? Or play a game of chess, perhaps?” 

“Read. Let's continue reading,” Takumi answered rather pointedly.

“Could it be you've developed a fear of chess, knowing that you will experience crushing defeat each game?” 

“No. It's definitely  _ not _ that. Piss off,” he scowled, elbowing the other boy lightly in the ribs. He received a playful shove, and glorious shit-eating grin in return. And, as icing on the cake, Leo had to  _ laugh _ in that stupid, feathery voice of his. Takumi's breath hitched like his heartbeat did. 

“ _ Really?  _ I've emerged victorious in all of our games.”

“You lie!” 

“I refuse to acknowledge the game where you resorted to  _ tickling  _ me under the table on my turn. Such uncouth tactics only make you a dirty cheat, not a winner.”

“ _ Gods _ ,” Takumi lamented, dragging a free palm across his face. 

“I know you too well?” 

“Do me a favour and shut up?” He sighed, slouching against the bed frame. Leo's mirthful teasing was too endearing to endure much of without being uncomfortably flustered. 

“As you wish.” The response was awfully restrained, leaving Takumi to fear he'd trampled over the boy's feelings. His tongue, no matter how strong, was a liability in sustaining any meaningful connections. Instead it only served to sever them; it was that part of himself Takumi had loathed the most. 

He withdrew himself, convinced that Leo was tired of his company, and nestled between folded legs. The shared book tumbled, its impact with the ground eliciting a light thump. Takumi peered above to be met with a demeanour of bewilderment, which puzzled him as well. 

“You seem troubled again.”

“I do?”

“Takumi, you're sulking.”

“I am?” A mumble, childish and rather stubborn in nature. Leo frowned. “Sorry, it's nothing, really.” Takumi loosened his limbs, so as to not appear as jumbled as he felt. Beside him, his friend seemed apprehensive for an instant, then relaxed as he reclined against the bed frame. 

He yawned, covering his mouth, then complied, “if you say so.” Takumi watched the jaded yet graceful flutter of Leo's lashes, beating like a butterfly’s delicate wings. The image was serene, picturesque, in a way that worked to soothe one’s nerves. He couldn't name the feeling, but it eased him. 

“Do you have a problem?” 

“Huh?” 

“You're staring.” The remark carried him back to consciousness, with the crippling realisation that not only was he staring, he was  _ admiring _ . And Takumi's heart started racing for the second -- no third -- maybe fourth (he lost count) time this evening. A lump lodged itself in his throat,  _ something _ bubbled at the pits of his stomach. He couldn't name this feeling either, but it terrified him. 

“You're imagining things.” 

He was treading a strange tightrope as they indulged in each other’s company into the night. Takumi teetered between contentment and fear. Fear that he'd shatter this peace between them, or something else that he had yet to decipher. For now, he buried it, kept it to himself until Leo would be gone, when he’d attempt to clamber away from this dilemma. 

The pair remained mainly silent as time passed, with only a handful of exchanges between them. Takumi relaxed for a while, until a weight pressed suddenly against his shoulder. He stilled at what he saw, the rush he felt, of Leo leaning against him, into the crook of his neck, eyes shut, breathing softly. 

He thought to pry him off, but couldn't muster himself to do it. Instead, he wound his arm gingerly around the other’s shoulders, holding his breath when Leo inched closer --

Oh,  _ gods _ , he needed to sort himself out. 

-

“Oboro, I need to ask you something.”

“Shoot.” His friend had spread along the sofa, flicking through some sort of fashion magazine with great disdain. “Seriously, who thinks that bin bags make good dresses? This is actual rubbish.” 

“It's about a friend,” Takumi began. 

“Is it that supermarket guy?” Hinata, his other friend, called from across the room rather crudely through a mouthful of popcorn. 

Oboro scoffed, “of course it's the supermarket guy.” Hinata’s eyes gleefully doubled in size as he moved to take a gulp of his drink. 

“ _ Anyway _ ,” Takumi preceded, dismissing the currently rather troublesome antics of his two companions. “If I may continue.” 

“No one’s stopping you,” Oboro grinned. “Go on.” He narrowed his gaze at the perceptiveness that ghosted over his friends’ expressions but then decided to pay it little mind.

“Okay,” an inhale.” How would you describe that feeling when --”

“You have a crush on him,” Oboro deadpanned, flipping a page of her magazine. “Well, I didn't think it could get worse than bin bags, but here we are.” 

Takumi froze, Hinata choked on his drink, spewed it all over the rug like some sort of fountain. He was to clear that up later.

“Who's got a crush?” Hinoka’s head veered around the doorway, bringing forth the vivid scarlet of her hair. At the sight of his eldest sister, Takumi had to cower into his palms, embedding himself even deeper when Azura also deemed it necessary to make an appearance.

“The truth would shock you,” Oboro snorted, shifting through yet another page whilst gesturing in Takumi's direction. Her actions conjured a commotion in the room, which she was thrilled to witness from the sidelines. Hinoka and Azura followed her allusions, ending at their younger brother, who, at this point, had resorted to plotting his own end. He peered through his tightened fingers, tentatively, to be met with a plethora of reactions. Surprise, perplexity, amusement, pride, enthralment. Each stage had Takumi shrinking further than the last because of all things, he absolutely, most certainly, did not harbour feelings for Leo that transcended those of a solid friendship. 

Azura, sporting the most gentle smile, approached him, pried away his hands and held them in hers. She spoke, in that near whisper that danced on air. It was hard to convey any frustration towards her when she did. “So, who's the lucky person?” 

“There is none.” 

Hinoka squinted at him. “It's the supermarket guy.” 

“Totally the supermarket guy,” Hinata added.

Sakura made an entrance. Takumi’s grave was dug deeper.

“Of course it's the supermarket guy -- have you seen how they get on their calls? They  _ giggle _ .” Trust Oboro to add salt to the wound. Takumi would have to thank her later. “No, no,  _ no _ ! Even with Hinata’s brain, anyone could understand that yellow and purple  _ do not _ go together.” 

“Ouch! I'm here you know!”

Meanwhile, Azura, whose grip on Takumi’s hand was already rigid enough, only tightened her hold. Her fingers curled around like a snake coiling on its prey. “Is this Leo you speak of? Takumi, have you truly fallen for him?” 

Had he? 

“Absolutely not --” 

Sakura gasped, cutting through his denial. Splendid.

“Does this mean -- oh, by the gods -- Elise could be my  _ sister in law!” _ Takumi really didn't want to believe that the situation could only grow worse, but fate had an agenda against him on this fine day.

His fears were cemented, when Ryoma made his dreaded, yet unfortunately inevitable appearance. “Sister in law? Who is to be wedded without my blessing?”    


“Oh gods, please show mercy,” Takumi prayed, managing to ease his hands free and shield his searing face from this cruel, cruel world. 

“Sakura, you're taking a step too many,” said Hinoka, folding her arms. Her legs twisted so she was facing the eldest of the household, Ryoma, who sported a very demanding guise at that moment. “I was hoping to find you,” she looked at him, seriously. “I believe it's time, brother.” 

Takumi had the pitiful feeling that this was somehow related to him. 

“Ah, I see.” And when Ryoma’s calculating stare locked on his, he was sure of his suspicions, tragically. “Takumi, I wish to speak with you in private.” 

Standing up Takumi massaged his temples.

“ _ Please, show mercy _ ,” was his final lament, before he was to inevitably meet his end with agonising embarrassment. 

-

“You've appeared troubled an awful lot lately,” remarked Leo, sliding his rook along the chessboard, aligning with the opposing king. “Check.” 

“What makes you think so?” Takumi moved the white king aside, too distracted to put thought into his move. He'd regret it later with his likely defeat. 

“You have this remarkable dent in your brow.” Leo's bishop was positioned in a way that had the king cornered. It stood, jeering on black square where the queen once was. Considerable time passed before Takumi arrived at the realisation that his arguably most prominent piece had vanished, now twirling between Leo’s fingers. “Check, again.”

“Where'd my queen go?” He blinked, thrice, puzzled. Then finally, the answer came to him. Takumi spotted the queen in his friend's grasp, nothing too out of the ordinary, except he had to be making  _ that _ expression, of feigned boredom masking triumph. “Oh.” 

It was hard to think straight.

“Really? Even your moves are clumsier than usual. Something is on your mind.” Damn Leo and his uncanny proficiency in being able to read him. And then, his voice turned so tender, maybe even affectionate when he spoke again, “I like to think we are mutual in our trust for one another -- so, if you wish, please don't hesitate to confide in me, Takumi.” 

Takumi was drawn to Leo in every way. The way his voice descended into a shy whisper, or how he toyed with his hairband when he was flustered -- it was impossible to ignore. Or maybe, it was how the boy spoke his name, turning dust to gold. Somehow. Leo was a miracle worker. 

“I --” And then Takumi stopped. Because he couldn't decipher what followed. He couldn't find any description that matched this emotion. 

Except one.

“Yes?”

“I apologise.” His voice wavered. He wanted the truth yet it continued to ease itself from his grasp. Or maybe he was pushing it away, refusing to acknowledge it. Nonetheless, it was frustrating. So much so that it threatened to bring infuriated tears. “I'll be taking my leave now.” And holding onto the last of his composure, Takumi did just that, failing to pick up the crestfallen expression that befell Leo. Or the hand that reached after him, only to falter to the side in near heartbreak. 

Walking home, the same sentence played through his mind, in tantalising repeat.

_ You're in love with him. _

“No, it must be something else,” Takumi uttered to himself, voice only audible to those who dared pry. Thankfully, it was him alone.

“I don't love him.”    


But then his mind was flooded with thoughts of Leo. The softness of his skin, the warmth that emerged with each touch. His hair, messy at times, but otherwise well kept. When it all came together Takumi could only describe it as --

“Oh, who am I kidding --”

beautiful.

“I fell for that fool.” 

-

No words, meetings, calls or texts were shared between them the entire week. Actually, that was a lie; Leo had attempted to reach through on a handful of occasions, then appeared to give in. Part of Takumi experienced disappointment, the other relief. At least he could deflect the situation a while longer. And, along the way, whether it was for good or bad, he couldn't tell, but he'd managed to accept that his feelings towards Leo were of a romantic nature. It was a painful realisation. One that had him sleeping whilst curling into his chest, because his heart felt so raw and exposed at that moment. Yes, he had these feelings, but what was he to do with them?

“Tell him,” was Oboro’s advice.

“Impossible.” 

He knew she meant well with her words, but the thought of even alluding to the truth around Leo made him more scared than he'd ever been his entire life.

“If he breaks you, I'll break him,” came Hinoka’s reassurance. Or attempt at such.

“Please, nothing illegal.” 

Keep to himself it was. Not an ideal solution -- it felt hollow and incomplete -- but it worked, at least.

Leo wasn't at the grocer’s on Friday, but Corrin appeared in his stead. Takumi's brow pinched at the sight. 

“He's been in a strange mood all week.” His brother of sorts, gave him a knowing look, which only made Takumi shrink into himself. “Something happened between the two of you.” 

“It isn't anything. He just requested something of me that I wasn't able to provide.”

“And what was that?”

“The truth,” Takumi admitted. Corrin looked on him with sympathy. 

His eyebrows raised with his lips as he spoke. “If you feel for him, you should just tell him you know.” 

“No. That would never work.” Takumi frowned. “And on another note -- how did you --”

“Azura.” He couldn't fathom how he  _ hadn't  _ foreseen that Azura would somehow inform Corrin of this recent development. The pair were tight; no information remained hidden between them. It was for that reason Takumi didn't find it in him to show some kind of agitation towards the girl. She was never ill in her intentions.

“You'll never know unless you try. Anyway, Leo will be here next Friday. I'll make sure of it. Please take the time to do what's best for you.” 

Those words were ingrained into his mind. 

What was the best for him? A reciprocated sentiment? The notion just seemed too out of reach to pursue. 

And when he spied Leo the next week, appearing the epitome of regality in packing his trolley with a baguette, Takumi sauntered into another aisle as if they'd never met. In his retreat, his body made a rather crude collision with a stack of baked-beans tins, sending them soaring to the ground. A thunderous roar of metal plagued the store, a cry of pain followed, and patrons curiously gravitated to the sight of the incident. Leo was among them. Regrettably. 

“Nothing too remarkable to see here; on with your business,” Takumi, from his moat of cans, urged away handfuls of befuddled strangers until only his friend remained. He took the gracious hand that inched in his way. “Thanks.” 

Standing, his gaze caught Leo's, and Leo his, in a lockdown of emotion, unspoken truths, a secrecy that didn't once exist between them. They weren't to budge -- a testament to their stubbornness, demanding an end to this stalemate that they so ruthlessly held. 

Yet not a word was spoken from their lips. 

“So,” started Leo, but he didn't finish.

“So?” 

“Are you well?”

“I am.” Silence. 

“Truly?”

_ No. _

“Of course.” Takumi gulped. He saw, the flecks of hurt staining Leo's expression like rich ink, even if it had only shown momentarily. They knew one another too well. A falter in covering one’s own doubts never went unpunished. And that was why, Takumi suspected, Leo had seemed so wounded by his comments in their mundanity. 

Behind, one of the market staff began regrouping the cans, concealing agitated mumbles under a faint whisper. It was difficult to fault them for the crack in their patience. 

“Shall we continue?” Leo nodded in the affirmative, distant. “Chocolate? I thought you were never too fond of confectionary.” 

“Not in the slightest. These aren't for myself.” His voice seemed frayed, at unease. Strange, considering that they were once so soothed in the other’s company. Takumi wished to pry further, to settle the discontent that welled in his chest at the thought of Leo buying chocolates for another. It should have been trivial -- oh how he wished it were -- but this act had so many romantic associations that were impossible to accept, not without dealing a devastating blow to his heart at least. 

Takumi let his eyes wander away from the figure beside him; to have them still against Leo's form for long would have been too precarious. He hoped they would take him elsewhere, a place of distraction perhaps. Anything that wasn't associated with the one he was pining for. But alas, as usual, his pleas were not to be acknowledged, as his gaze fixated upon the incriminating box of chocolates. He noted, with bafflement, that they were of the kind he habitually bought for himself on a weekly basis. A reminder -- one that sent him bounding towards aisles of sweets. 

Or so he thought he would, until Leo caught him from behind. “If that's what you're after, then I wouldn't bother.” Takumi cocked his head to the side. For him, the remark was so cryptic that he couldn't decipher its intent. The doubtful part of him refused to draw one vital connection. 

“And why is that?” He was defensive in his sour mood, regretting the spike in his tone that made Leo look uncharacteristically taken aback for a moment. 

“Well -- uh -- because I said so?” Takumi saw defeat engraved into deflated shoulders. The excuse was undeniably pathetic, in a way that convinced him that there was reasoning behind it. Leo never acted without justification, even if it were never vocalised. 

“That's a very poor explanation.”

Then, he saw the blonde pull through his straw hair and release a stressed huff. Takumi felt nerves transpire through the boy’s actions, and it puzzled him. What was there to be afraid of? 

“Is it not obvious?” 

“No, not really.”

"These were meant for  _ you _ .” His synapses burst at the realisation. 

Leo intended for the gift to be some form of consolation. A gesture, or reminder of their friendship. Takumi was a fool for thinking that he'd intend to use store-brand chocolates as a means of professing romantic intentions. 

“Oh, okay. Well, thank you.” 

He knew something was amiss when Leo's frown grew ever so deep.

“You're still missing the point,” he heard him mutter, before charging ahead with the abruptness of a lightning strike to prevent any reaction. Takumi, in his bafflement was only able to follow with a furrowed brow. It was unnerving, to witness the most brutally honest person he’d known, skirt around his motivations without a single remark or warning. But such frankness was a quality shared, and Takumi would be damned if he was to dismiss Leo's peculiar diversion in character. 

“Missing what point?” 

“Nothing -- it's nothing.” The blonde carried a hand to his face, and drew it along in an exasperated gesture. “Argh, you weren't supposed to hear that.”

“But I did.” The swell in Leo's jadedness was clearer than crystal. His trolley swayed to a halt as he took steps in Takumi’s direction, put two hands on his shoulders and inhaled. 

“To make a cowardly retreat at this point would be foolish, I suppose.” There was little time to question whatever he meant before he spoke again. “I, um, well I was going to get you those because…”

A heavy pause followed. Seeing Leo hesitate like this -- it was something so surreal that it was impossible to wrap one’s mind around it.

The boy’s head strayed to the side for a bit. Takumi felt hands trembling faintly against his shoulders, and he swore there was a new red undertone to those ears. Then, with a second breath, Leo turned to face him with a newfound expression of confidence. The shaking stopped, but his grip grew rigid, or tense rather. 

“Takumi, I've been meaning to tell you that, against all the odds, I've fallen hopelessly in love with you.” 

He couldn't have heard that right. 

“Hold up. Rewind.” 

“What?”

“It sounded like you were saying ‘I love you’. I must have misheard.” 

“That’s precisely what I said.”

Takumi closed his gaze. “No, you're fooling me, I'm sure of it.” He couldn't decipher the despairing veil that befell his friend. Nor the affronted parting of Leo’s lips, or the quiver of his stare. “For such a thing to be the case, that would -- that would be…” And then silence hung between them, but the emotions contained within were deafening, to the point that Takumi felt a vexing ache settle at his forehead. It was hard to think. To conjure words with meaning, as opposed to incoherent blabber that only brought on more confusion.

Leo looked on him with expectancy. “Would be what?” There was tentativity and trepidation to his tone, which was why it shivered like one would when they were underdressed for the harshest winter’s day. Takumi saw himself in those fearful eyes, and doing so filled him with unfound determination. 

“You. Being in love with me -- it would be too good to be true.” He saw Leo blink once. Twice. Disbelieving. Suddenly resilience was overcome with adrenaline, sticking to his system like thick treacle. The blonde was pensive for a moment in front of him, and then was brimming with inexplicable hopefulness, and desperation too. 

“Do you mean to say...that you love me too?” 

“That is what I'm insinuating, yes.” Takumi saw Leo’s shoulders free themselves from tense clutches with his confirmation. He was overwhelmed with heat, and judging by his friend’s expression, the sensation was a mutual one; it was a liberating realisation to say the least. 

“Then, if I love you.”

“Huh?” 

“And you love me.” 

“Yes,” Takumi affirmed.

“How are we supposed to act in this situation?” 

Takumi had to nestle between damp palms to collect his fragmented senses and extinguish the flame in his cheeks. Both efforts were so futile to the extent that it was pitiful. “It's called dating, you fool.” 

“Oh.  _ Oh.  _ I was wondering if that was appropriate to ask here of all places. In all honesty, I had been hoping for something more…” Leo covered his mouth. “...romantic?” Fear of rejection had simmered into a more acceptable fear of looking the other in the eye due to sheer embarrassment. Takumi felt his his heart beat like a bass drum, its sound residing in each crevice, ringing in his ears. 

“You consume far too much corny literature for your own good, you know.” The blonde’s frown bore more resemblance to a pout in its lightness. An urge lingered, with the sight of flush lips, to close the remaining distance between them. 

“Now what?” He couldn't deduce what had brought on such boldness, but Takumi, as an eternal victim of impulse was not one to neglect his gut. Admittedly, it was the one thing that set him apart from his counterpart. While matched in intellect, they were set apart in rationale; it was how their time spent was so riveting. How they brought their own frequencies together into one lustrous wavelength. The sound of their conversation -- each other’s voices -- was what brought Takumi peace.

He still couldn't believe that Leo felt for him the same way. 

It was with such thoughts that he inched forward, on the cusp of timidity and bravado, curled his fingers (carefully) about his partner’s collar. Takumi saw a flicker of bemused brown before he brought their lips together. Sheer ease and content was what overcame him, enough to override the underlying disgruntlement at having to wobble on his toes if he was to reach the other. Leo had made quite the undignified yelp upon the impact, but little time waned before he settled into the kiss, bringing their free hands together in the most tender hold. 

They pulled apart, only to meet again at the middle as one -- two halves of a coruscating whole. Too consumed by their inhibitions they were, failing to acknowledge that they had been indulging in their intimacies exposed to the public eye. The chime of the store’s intercom was all that reminded them.

_ “Would the couple in the confectionary aisle kindly control themselves until they are in a private space, as they are distracting other customers.”  _

Oh. 

The pair staggered apart until at arms length, flustered beyond belief. Takumi was stricken with both astoundment and sheepishness, considering that he'd been responsible for initiating their rather affectionate discourse. 

“Count on us to get reprimanded at the supermarket for things such as this.” With a great fondness, he was reminded of how far they'd ventured together since the beginning, and the journey they had yet to embark on. 

Leo frowned at him, albeit half-heartedly. “Why you didn't wait for us to vacate the store is beyond me.” Takumi felt yet another flip in his stomach; no moment between them ceased to be ever brimming with this feeling. However it was no longer alike the plague of fear and dread he once experienced, but rather another means of seeking solace. And so, he no longer felt ashamed at the warmth in his cheeks with Leo's every word, but embraced it instead.

That being said, a response to the boy’s remark was forever unfound. “I, uh, have no clue. I guess...first come first serve?” Leo scoffed, at the garbled nonsense that Takumi had so spontaneously spewed on the spot.

“Did the kiss happen to nullify your remaining sense of coherency? I’m finding it rather difficult to actually decipher what you meant by that. Perhaps it's a rather impossible feat indeed.” Even after all this time, the jovial teasing they made a routine of tossing between them, was never to fade away. “Or maybe, there's some underlying poetic meaning to your words. Deceptive.” 

Takumi gave the other boy a good-natured nudge, failing to repress a chuckle. “Oh quiet, you. Now you're the one not making any sense.” 

“I feel like all sense of rationale is abandoned when in each other’s presence.” 

Their gazes met, tame yet exuberant with newfound joy. 

Takumi turned back to himself, smiling. “I couldn't agree with you more.”   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading -- I hope you enjoyed this fic and look forward to more of these two from me soon! Feedback is always apprecieated.   
> I currently have a multichapter fic (a little longer than this one I hope) in the works too so look out for it! 
> 
> Twitter: @estaells  
> Tumblr: estaels

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I'm always receptive to feedback so kudos and comments are always welcome!
> 
> Twitter: @estaells  
> Tumblr: estaels


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